Government's Card for Lethal Weapon Support to Ukraine [Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club]

President Yoon Seok-yeol Mentions 'Considering Support for Lethal Weapons'
Support for Defensive Missiles Capable of Intercepting Fighter Jets Also Possible

President Yoon Suk-yeol’s mention of “effective, phased response measures according to the battlefield situation” in relation to North Korean troops being dispatched to Russia has drawn attention to the possibility of South Korea providing lethal weapons. Direct weapons support to another country is unprecedented and is expected to significantly impact diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula.

According to government officials on the 31st, under the current Defense Materials Management Act and Defense Acquisition Program Act, the government can support or export weapons to foreign countries after obtaining approval from the Minister of National Defense and the Administrator of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. This differs from the United States, where congressional approval is mandatory for overseas weapons support or exports. Although Democratic Party lawmakers proposed a bill in the 22nd National Assembly requiring prior parliamentary consent before transferring weapons to conflict zones, it remains pending in the National Defense Committee. This means the government can support lethal weapons to Ukraine without parliamentary approval.

President Yoon expressed his intention to consider lethal weapons support on the 24th. Right after a summit with Polish President Andrzej Duda, he said, “We had a principle of not directly supplying lethal weapons (to Ukraine), but depending on North Korean military activities, we will also consider lethal weapons support.” This is moving beyond mere consideration to concrete “effective and phased response measures.” Even within the government, predictions suggest a scenario progressing from “diplomatic measures → defensive weapons support → lethal weapons support.”

So far, our government has maintained a policy of supporting non-lethal weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also requested support for mine-clearing equipment, emergency evacuation vehicles, mobile X-ray devices, and air defense radars at the G7 summit in May last year. According to the U.S. daily The Washington Post (WP), Ukraine’s counteroffensive has been delayed due to mines densely laid by Russian forces on the front lines. However, the mine-clearing equipment received from the West amounts to only 15% of what was requested.

Our government has supported multipurpose excavators used by the army. These multipurpose excavators are used by engineers and can be equipped with various tools. They can substitute for obstacle-clearing tanks (K600). Additionally, portable mine detectors and protective suits were loaded onto the Air Force’s KC-330 ‘Cygnus’ multipurpose aerial refueling transport aircraft and sent. The mine detectors sent to Ukraine are estimated to be the PRS-20K, developed with domestic technology. This equipment applies ground-penetrating radar (GPR) technology to detect not only metal mines but also non-metallic mines.

If lethal weapons are considered this time, the weapon systems will differ from last year. If South Korea supports Ukraine with weapons, defensive weapons mentioned include Cheongung I, which can intercept fighter jets, Cheongung II, which can intercept ballistic missiles, and jamming drones and jamming-resistant drones that Ukraine has requested support for. Although these are defensive interceptor missiles, they can also be converted for offensive use. The consensus is that support for lethal weapons actually used in combat, such as K9 self-propelled howitzers or Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers, is unlikely.

However, if 155mm shells are provided indirectly, it could be done by lending from the War Reserve Stockpile of Ammunition-Korea (WRSA-K). The U.S. requested WRSA-K shell lending last year because its 155mm shell inventory is rapidly depleting amid the ongoing Ukraine war. WRSA-K refers to ammunition brought to Korea by the U.S. from 1974 over five years in preparation for wartime situations on the Korean Peninsula. The U.S. placed WRSA-K ammunition in South Korean military depots in 1974 for wartime readiness. Ammunition deployed on the Korean Peninsula is called WRSA-K, while that deployed in Israel is called WRSA-I. WRSA-K ammunition includes about 280 types (worth 60 million tons and 5 trillion won), ranging from old guns, shells, bombs, to missiles. It accounts for 90% of the war reserve stockpile.

Yoo Yong-won, a member of the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee from the People Power Party, also revealed that the government is considering providing ‘HAWK’ surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine. On the 30th, Yoo said on CBS Radio that in relation to Ukraine’s request for weapons support from our government in response to North Korean troop dispatch, “One of the things the government is reviewing is the HAWK, an old surface-to-air missile.”

Yoo explained, “This missile is being retired as newer missiles are deployed, so its utility has declined for us, but it is useful for Ukraine. I understand that providing old missiles like the HAWK missile is also being considered.”